Rambling Nan

Not every Rambling Nan trip needs the full camper van experience and now that I’ve retired from my role as a freelance copywriter I intend to get out and about much more using a mish mash of transport. For this trip, taken in early April, I took my trusty Volvo estate (aptly named Runaround Sue) for a jaunt down to Hertfordshire to visit the Celtic Harmony Camp. This was stepping back in time in more ways than one. Firstly – a taste of what life may have been like for our Celtic ancestors, secondly, a trip down memory lane to the village where I spent my childhood.

It was a cloudy but unseasonably mild April morning when Grandaughter (A) and I set off for the tiny but charming Hertfordshire village of Brickendon Liberty. Our destination was the Celtic Harmony Camp where a Dragon Quest was to be held to mark the pagan Ostara  (spring equinox).  OK, so maybe it was a few days late for the actual equinox, but that was because it was timed to match the modern-day school Easter holidays. There was a slightly Easter-ish theme with eggs taking centre stage but I felt they’d done a great job of melding ancient and modern cultures for the sake of helping folks to understand the ancient way of life.

I loved the whole ethos of the Celtic Harmony Camp and was pleased to see how the encampment had grown and developed since my last visit which must have been 15 years ago. On that occasion I had been invited to meet the owner to discuss the practicalities of installing a living green roof onto a planned new building. 

The site at that time consisted of two replica roundhouses with a nearby composting toilet. I was instantly attracted to the woodland setting and also discussed the possibilities for a sleepover there with the girls of 1st Feltwell Guides. That sleepover never did happen but I’m pleased to see that the camp has been developed so that groups can be accommodated for short educational holidays. Top marks go to Luca for making that happen.

Today, the Celtic Harmony Camp has an array of roundhouses, a beautiful Woodland Bistro ( with a living roof!) and a modern classroom and toilet block. I wish now I’d asked if I could camp there with Honey Bumble and the dogs. Maybe I’ll drop them an email sometime……

A and I thoroughly enjoyed our Dragon Quest experience. We got to fashion a dragons egg from clay, find a series of Celtic ‘letters’ and translate them into our alphabet to solve an anagram which earned each of us a small crystal. I chose a tigers eye, A took home a piece of quartz. Perfect.

The only thing that was kind of disappointing is that the visitor numbers seemed quite low – a place like that deserves to be enjoyed by lots and lots of people. Hopefully it was just that we’d chosen a weekday afternoon to visit … this is such a great resource for wellbeing as well as education – it definitely should be used to the max.

Now, I did say that our ramble took me back in time in more ways than one. Once A and I had completed the Dragon Quest and enjoyed a hearty lunch at the bistro, we set off into the modern day village to revisit my childhood and pay tribute to my lovely grandparents who are all resting in the churchyard there.

The guys at Celtic Harmony very kindly allowed us to leave Runaround Sue in their car park while we travelled on foot across the footpaths where I used to walk with the family dogs and into the heart of Brickendon.

First flashback was Bourne Orchard. One of the large houses on the oustskitrts of the village where the gardener, Mr Jordan, used to sell excess veggies from the walled garden. When I was at primary school, My Mum worked in the house as cleaning lady come dog sitter come child minder and she developed a close friendship with the Eadie family who lived there. 

Along the road a little way I showed A Rose cottage, the little house where my Grandparents lived. Externally it’s barely changed in the 40 odd years since I moved away from there. I’m sure there have been a few updates inside it though.

Beside Rose Cottage is the tiny parish church. Grandad used to take care of the churchyard and he took his role very seriously. I’m glad to see it’s still neat and tidy. Nanny Johnson’s grave was sporting a jaunty bunch of daffodils. I wondered who had put them there. A picked some daisies and laid them beside the headstone.

Nanny and grandad Brown are resting beneath Grandads favourite oak tree in a secluded and peaceful spot. I felt they were looking down on us, they would have adored A if they’d have met her. I can picture Grandad in his shed showing A how to use a hammer the same way he taught me.

We peeped into the church. What a joy to find a church that is unlocked! It’s tiny but much loved.

Next up, a 5 minute walk into the centre of the village to see where I used to live. My parents were in that same house for over 50 years only moving out 10 years ago to decamp to a bungalow in Norfolk when mum could no longer manage the stairs. The place has changed a lot. The privet hedge that I used to trim has been removed so that the front garden can be used for parking space. The lawn has been replaced with gravel and a smart new raised bed sits along the border with next doors garden. Oh but what joy! The timber porch that Grandad Brown built is still there and looking as though it’s well maintained and loved.

Turning on our heels we wandered back to retrieve the car, chatting all the way about life in general. On our way home we stopped at Foxhole’s Farm Shop to buy car snacks and I picked up some artisan cheeses for the weekend.

All in all, a great day out. Have you been there yet? If not, I highly recommend a visit to Celtic Harmony Camp. It’s dog friendly and a lovely place for four-footed friends as well as for hoomans. Here’s the link to their events page.